Linux vendors are under attack. In March, IBM was sued for $1 billion by The SCO Group, of Lindon, Utah, which claims IBM has put SCO's Unix code into Linux, the open-source software program. SCO also has sent letters to 1,500 large companies warning them that if they are using Linux, they may face legal problems. Though IBM is the only company named in SCO's lawsuit, other Linux vendors, like Red Hat and SuSE Linux, could suffer collateral damage.

The Cult Of Linux

So how are the Linux companies fighting back? IBM put out a statement saying it will fight SCO's claim and has issued bulletins to its sales force, providing talking points to use with customers. Red Hat is posting pro-Linux commentary and analyst reports on its Web site. SuSE Linux, a German company, claims customers aren't scared by the SCO lawsuit. "Everyone has seen through this," a SuSE spokesman says.

In other words, like many religious folk, the Linux-loving crunchies in the open-source movement are a) convinced of their own righteousness, and b) sure the whole world, including judges, will agree.

They should wake up. SCO may not be very good at making a profit by selling software. (Last year the company lost $24.9 million on sales of $64.2 million.) But it is very good at getting what it wants from other companies. And it has a tight circle of friends.